


Habits

by Ischa



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Teachers, Artist Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes's Metal Arm, Coffee Shops, M/M, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-20
Updated: 2016-08-19
Packaged: 2018-07-25 16:29:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 15,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7539787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ischa/pseuds/Ischa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is a Coffeehouse AU I started writing for omletlove because she wanted one.<br/>In which Bucky serves hot beverages and delicious baked goods for a living and Steve is the art teacher who is in love with him. </p><p>  <i>“Don’t even think about it, Barry,” Steve said and Barry put his hands slowly behind his back. They were bright green and he had been just about to press them to Diana’s neck. Or probably her soft blond hair.</i><br/><i>Diana turned to look at Barry, scoffed, and turned back to her drawing of a bright yellow sun.</i><br/><i>Barry, Steve thought, looked crushed. Maybe someone should explain the world to him.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [omletlove](https://archiveofourown.org/users/omletlove/gifts).



> This chapter was beta read by omletlove <3

~One~  
Bucky put the cup on the table and lingered. English noticed; she gave him a look.  
He smiled his most charming smile at her.

“Nice art,” he said, nodding slightly at her hand.

She looked down. “Thank you.”

It was pretty much a dismissal, but Bucky wasn't going to be dismissed so easily. He hadn't seen such a colorful artwork on someone's skin in a while.  
English sighed. “My friend did it while we were killing an hour.”

Bucky looked from the back of her hand to her face. “An hour?”

She licked her finger and smudged one corner of the art carefully, just where the sleeve of her blouse would cover it up. “Not the real deal, see?”

“Yeah,” Bucky said. She didn't really seem the type for tats, but you couldn’t always tell with people. The secretary that got her sugar fix once a week had her left arm covered in birds and branches. She didn't show it off either. It was mostly covered up.

“Pretty cool anyway,” Bucky said.

English smiled at him. “Guess my boy has talent.”  
Bucky wanted to ask her about that boy of hers, or maybe even her name; after two months it was about time. He couldn't keep calling her 'English' in his head, but Clint was waving at him and Clint always seemed in a hurry.

“Excuse me, love,” he said.

“Was that your English accent?”

“You bet,” Bucky said.

“That was awful,” English replied.

“Yours is cute,” he said, throwing her a grin over his shoulder as he made his way to Clint's table.

~+~  
Bucky stumbled over a shoe on his way out of the girl’s apartment and swore quietly. She was still sleeping, and he was nearly late for his shift.  
He scribbled a note and pinned it to the fridge as he left in a hurry.

“Shit,” he said, taking a breath. It was raining, he was wearing last night’s club clothes and he was sure Gabe was already outside of the coffee shop to get his fix like every Monday.  
It was just one of those sucky days.

“You look like a drowned rat,” Gabe said. He was carrying an umbrella. Of course he was. He offered it to Bucky, but Bucky shook his head. It was too late anyway. He was soaked.

“Water makes everything sexy,” Bucky replied.

“Except for drowned rats – and pretty much everything else drowned. Because: gross.”

Bucky unlocked the door. “Come on in. I’ll fix you up with a nice cup of coffee and you can watch me strip to the skin,” he grinned.

Gabe rolled his eyes. “Thanks, but no thanks.”

“What no coffee today? Are you dying?”

“No to the striptease, yes to the coffee. I have to run, so make it quick.”

“I want you to know that people would pay to see me naked,” Bucky joked.  
Right now he was pretty okay with his body; it hadn’t always been that way. 

Gabe laughed. “Sure they do.”

“Why do I even let you in before official opening hours?” Bucky sighed.

“Because I‘m awesome and you love me,” Gabe said. “And hurry up.”  
Bucky tossed Gabe the keys so he could lock up again and then started to make Gabe’s coffee.  
Once Gabe was gone, Bucky stripped out of his wet clothes and rummaged for his dry uniform.

“Hello?” Came a tentative voice from the front. 

“We’re closed,” Bucky said, looked at the clock, thought fuck it. “You know what, I’ll be with you in a second!”  
He pulled his shirt down and stepped out to greet his first customer of the week. Gabe didn’t count. 

“Hi,” the guy said.

“Hi,” Bucky replied with a grin.  
The guy looked like he was in need of a towel and a warm place to stay, but Bucky would wait for him to place his order.

“I’m sorry, the door was open – a friend recommended the place and-“

“It’s fine,” Bucky cut in, leaning against the counter. “We’re already up and running. What can I get you?”

The guy licked his lips and then looked down at his shoes and then at Bucky again. “Coffee?” It sounded rather hopeful to Bucky. He laughed. 

“Yeah, we serve that. Black? Strong?”

“Yes,” the guy said.

“To both? And maybe a towel? You look like you need it.” It wasn’t like Bucky minded a good-looking guy being all wet; rainwater dripping from his nose and lashes, and clothes clinging to the perfect body underneath them. But he knew that wet clothes didn’t feel very nice, especially when it was chilly.

“I – yes, thank you, if it isn’t too much trouble?”

Bucky smiled. Boy was awkward, but really cute. “No trouble at all. Be back in a moment.”

When Bucky got back with the towel, the guy was still standing close to the counter and dripping all over the floor.  
“Thank you,” he said, and then as he took the towel. “I’m Steve.”

“James, but people call me Bucky,” he replied.

Steve toweled his hair dry and smiled as he did it. “That’s a weird nickname for James.”

Bucky shrugged. “I’m a special kind of human being.”

Steve raised an eyebrow. “I can see that.” His eyes lingered briefly on the metal fingers of his hand. Bucky was way beyond carrying about it, or being insecure. But he wondered what Steve was seeing, if it was something Steve found fascinating or – strange. 

“You ain’t seen nothin’ yet,” Bucky said. “How about that coffee now? Want a muffin with it?”

“Yes,” Steve said. “Thank you.” He put the towel on a seat and sat down at the counter.  
Steve had manners and pretty blue eyes and – Bucky busied himself by making the best coffee he could make so that Steve would come back.

~+~  
Bucky wondered the whole day who had recommended his coffee shop to Steve. It could have been anyone, really. From Gabe to Clint, but he was sure that Gabe at least would have said something about Steve. Bucky knew most of Gabe’s friends, was friends himself with them.  
Clint was the type to send people over randomly – because Clint thought Bucky needed the money. It was nice of Clint.

“Did something good happen?” Kate asked as she started her shift. “You look like something good happened. Can’t imagine what, because the weather is horrible and I saw your club clothes in the backroom.” She smiled knowingly. “You overslept.”

“None of your business,” Bucky said. “Don’t you have hot beverages to make and customers to charm?”

“Isn’t the charming part your specialty?” She replied.

“Still leaves you with making hot beverages,” Bucky shot back.

“Fine, don’t tell me,” Kate said.

Bucky did want to tell someone, but really what was there to tell? A hot guy in wet clothes bought coffee this morning and it made the day somehow less sucky?  
He’s met Steve for the first time today and who could say if it wasn’t the last?  
Plenty of people just came in once – for a lot of different reasons.  
Some of them had to do with Bucky’s metal arm, but mostly they didn’t. Steve had been in running clothes, maybe he had been just in the neighborhood by accident and decided to check the shop out. Maybe he usually got his fix somewhere else.  
Maybe Bucky should have asked, instead of trying not to check Steve out.  
He could always live in hope he would see Steve again. Maybe with the other customer who recommended Bucky’s place.  
And maybe with a lot of luck, Steve didn’t have a gorgeous, smart and funny girlfriend and was also into guys who served coffee for a living and had a metal arm.  
Right, because that happened so damn often outside of rom-coms.


	2. Chapter 2

~Two~  
“You’re late,” Sam said as Steve put down his keys and toed off his shoes. “And wet.”

“It was raining,” Steve replied. He was only half paying attention to Sam, because – because of Bucky. It was clear to Steve that Bucky did not remember him. He looked at himself in the hallway mirror. Could he blame Bucky? No. They had been kids back then and Steve didn’t have any hope of being – this.

“You have that look on your face again, Rogers,” Sam said, leaning against the door to the kitchen. 

“What look?”

“Like you don’t know if you’re real or not,” Sam said.

Steve sighed and then smiled. Sometimes he didn’t feel real at all. When he looked at pictures of himself as a kid or hell, even as a teenager he didn’t recognize himself at all.  
“I know I’m real,” Steve replied, turning to look at Sam.

“Go shower, I made breakfast; of course, your pancakes are cold now.” 

“They taste good cold too,” Steve said. He did need a shower and he had to hurry up, his class would start in an hour.

“I know, but they taste better warm, with butter melting all over them and a bit of honey on top.”  
Steve’s stomach growled. He had only one muffin at the coffee shop.  
Sam laughed. “Get going, Rogers. Or you’ll be late for class.”

Steve grabbed a change of clothes and got into the shower.  
~+~  
Steve liked his Monday morning classes. Every single one of these kids was enthusiastic about art. Steve knew that some of them were more enthusiastic about being allowed to put their fingers in jars of paint and draw on the sheets on the floor, but Steve still counted that as a win.  
Having fun making something was important.  
Besides, ten year olds weren’t meant to create heart-stopping art.   
Steve was content to let them do their thing as long as the paint got where it was supposed to go.

“Don’t even think about it, Barry,” Steve said and Barry put his hands slowly behind his back. They were bright green and he had been just about to press them to Diana’s neck. Or probably her soft blond hair.  
Diana turned to look at Barry, scoffed, and turned back to her drawing of a bright yellow sun.  
Barry, Steve thought, looked crushed. Maybe someone should explain the world to him.  
Maybe Steve would after class today.

He remembered all too well that feeling of not knowing how to express all the love he was feeling, back when he and Bucky were kids.   
That one summer they spent together, Steve knew that he probably (most likely) painted it in unrealistic and nostalgic colors. Bucky hadn’t been the first friend Steve ever had, but he had been the first boy who had treated Steve as an equal.   
Steve could still recall Bucky’s perfect sigh when he realized that Steve had been stupid again and picked a fight with someone twice his size and thrice as mean as Steve. Which Steve tried not to do once he realized that Bucky got hurt for these things too, because Bucky was always on Steve’s side.  
Steve hadn’t realized it back then, of course, but Bucky had been the first person he had fallen in love with. Seeing him now- and Steve just knew deep in his bones that it was his Bucky- he was pretty sure he could fall in love with him all over again.  
Bucky was still that boy with the quick smile and the urge to help however he could. He sighed.

“Mister Rogers?” Magda asked, her green eyes were bright and big and her arms were purple up to her elbows.

“Yes, Magda?”

“Are you alright?” she asked.

“Yes, of course. Do you need help with something?”

She nodded. “I’m making a unicorn!”

“I like unicorns,” Steve said.

She nodded again. “But the –“ she made a gesture Steve didn’t really know how to interpret, “doesn’t look right.”

Steve got up from the chair he had been sitting in. “Let’s see what we can do about it,” he said, taking Magda’s hand, purple and all. She beamed at him.

~+~  
Steve liked to sit in cafes after work. He liked being outside when the weather allowed it and watch people, drink coffee, and sketch details he found interesting.  
He didn’t have a place he always went to, but he thought that maybe that would change soon. He wanted to see Bucky again, to talk with Bucky, and maybe find out what happened in the last few (seventeen) years, since Steve saw him last.   
~+~  
“Peggy called,” Sam said as Steve put his keys on the table and toed off his shoes.

“Okay?” Steve replied, because Peggy had his cell phone number and –

“She didn’t want to disturb you at work,” Sam said; there was something amused in his voice. 

Steve frowned. “What is it?”

“She didn’t say, but I bet it has to do with that art exhibition she’s arranging,” Sam answered.

“Not again,” Steve said.

“You know she’s not gonna give up, you can just give in and let her rummage through all your paintings until she finds THE one,” Sam said.

Steve could hear the capitals in that. “I told her I don’t want my paintings in an exhibition.”

Sam looked at him then. “Why not?”

Steve felt stupid admitting it but— “They’re private.”

“Steve, you paint landscapes,” Sam said.

Yes, Steve did, but those weren’t his best paintings. Steve knew the landscapes were good, but what he considered his better work were the male nudes, and there was no way in hell Steve wanted those in an exhibition with his name underneath where everyone (his pupils, their parents) could see them. And his pride didn’t allow him to give Peggy something he knew wasn’t his best. “Among other things,” Steve said. “Take out?”

“Nah,” Sam said, getting up from the couch. He was letting Steve change the subject, that was one of the many reasons he liked Sam. “We can make some stir fry. You can chop things into perfection and I will cook them.”

“Sounds fair,” Steve said.

~+~  
“So, you wanna talk about it?” Sam asked after dinner. The TV was on, but neither of them was watching it. Sam shut it off and turned to Steve, who was still staring at the black screen of the TV.

“About what exactly?”

Sam poked him in the ribs and Steve turned a bit to look at him. Sam smiled. “How was your day, honey?”

Steve smiled back. “Same old, same old.”

“But you were back later than usual from your run and you were in a – let’s call it – pensive mood.”

“I thought for sure this would be about Peggy and the paintings,” Steve said.

“Would you prefer that conversation?”

“Not really. Can’t we just watch TV and not talk like real men?” Steve sighed.

“Hate to break it to you, but real men talk. That’s the healthy thing to do.”

Steve knew Sam was right and he also knew that it was easier for Sam because of his work with the veterans.  
Steve closed his eyes. “Were you ever in love with someone and didn’t realize it until it was too late?”

“Steve-“

“This is a relevant question, Sam,” Steve cut in. “Humor me.”

“No, I don’t think so. But I guess that happened to you?”

“It is what put me in that – let’s say – pensive mood.” He closed his eyes again and leaned his head against the back of the couch. “I was a kid back then, but – now I think I should have known. I knew, of course, that the person was pretty amazing, more amazing than anyone else I’d ever met, but –“

“How old were you?”

Steve smiled. “Ten. He was eleven.”

“Okay.”

“I think I met him again today,” Steve said, before he could think about chickening out.

“Steve, that’s seventeen years. How can you be so sure?” Sam asked and it was a valid question. Seventeen years was a lot of time to grow and change. People who went to school with Steve didn’t recognize him now. But Bucky – unlike Steve – hadn’t changed that much.

“I just am. Sometimes you just know.”

Sam sighed. “Sometimes it’s just wishful thinking.”

How many guys called James were going by Bucky? Steve wondered. He couldn’t imagine there were that many. 

“Sometimes fate throws you a bone,” Steve replied.

“So, you’re gonna grab that bone and run with it?” Sam wanted to know.

“I just might,” Steve answered. The first step would be to go back to that coffee shop and hope that Bucky would be behind the counter.

He could ask Peggy, but then he would owe her one and he didn’t want to owe her one when she was still on his case about the paintings.   
“Need a wingman?” Sam asked.

Steve turned his head to look at him. “Yeah, that – yeah.”

“You’re paying, of course and I will order the most expensive thing they have,” Sam said.

“Sure,” Steve replied, easily.


	3. Chapter 3

~Three~

It took Steve two weeks to show up at Bucky's door. Bucky had taken all of the morning shifts in hopes to see Steve again.   
It wasn't raining, but Steve was early once more. Gabe just passed him on his way out, nodding to Steve. Steve, Bucky noticed smiled at Gabe. 

“Hi,” Steve said upon entering.

“You're always up that early?” Bucky asked, smiling at him. He couldn’t help it, there was something about Steve that made him feel warm inside. 

“Except on the weekends,” Steve replied. 

“What can I get you?” 

“Coffee, black,” Steve said.

“That is very old-fashioned of you,” Bucky smiled. 

“I like to stick to the classics,” Steve said. 

Bucky wondered if that only applied to coffee, but felt it was too early for that kind of questions. Just because he found Steve attractive, it didn't mean they were soul-mates. Not that Bucky believed in soul-mates.   
“Coffee, black comes right up.” Bucky said and then bit his lip. “You wanna a muffin with it?” 

“Yes,” Steve answered. ”Make it two.”

Bucky busied himself with making coffee for two for a while and let Steve look around. He could feel Steve exploring the shop a bit. “I like the art,” Steve said.

“Yeah?” 

“Yes,” Steve replied, tracing tattooed lines on skin with his finger without touching the glass the photos were behind. 

“I have more, but kids come in here and I-” he stopped. Laughed. “Sorry.” 

“No, don't be,” Steve said, turning to look at him. “I'd like to see them. Maybe you could bring them next week?” 

“You'll be here next week?” Bucky asked. He couldn’t believe his luck. Steve liked tattoos and Steve wanted to come back. Bucky didn't think the art was an excuse. Steve seemed genuinely interested in the photographs. 

“Will you bring the photos?” Steve asked back. 

“Yeah.” 

“Then I will be here, Bucky,” Steve replied. Bucky's name rolled of Steve's tongue like he had been saying it all his life. It was – Bucky didn't know what it was, except that it made him feel giddy. 

“You have any ink?” Bucky asked. 

“No,” Steve replied. 

“But you like it on others?” 

“I like art,” Steve answered as Bucky sat down the coffee and Steve's muffins on the table. He grabbed a chair for himself, turning it around and sitting down. 

“What kind of art?” 

“All kinds of it,” Steve said. Bucky gave him a look. Steve took a sip of his coffee. “Italian Renaissance, post war German artist, comics .- Asian and not,” Steve smiled. Nodded in the direction of the photos lining the walls. “Body art. Especially if it’s something big and meaningful, beautiful.” Steve blushed slightly like he said too much and took another sip of his coffee. 

“You an artist Steve?” Bucky asked.

Steve shook his head. “I'm a teacher.” 

“But you do paint? Draw? Scribble?” Because someone so passionate couldn’t just be admiring. 

When Steve had traced his finger over the glass it had looked like he was committing it to memory so he could sketch it later. Bucky had had a friend once who used to do that – he couldn’t remember his name or his face, but – he had had the same feeling back then watching that kid. Or very similar. It was stupid but since the accident happened he was missing memories, random things were clear as day, others were just feelings without any pictures attached to them. 

“All of the above,” Steve said with a smile. 

“Huh?” Bucky said, because he had been lost in his own head for a moment there. 

“I paint, sketch and draw,” Steve explained.

“Let me guess,” Bucky said and Steve looked at him expectantly. “Landscapes.” 

“That's a boring guess,” Steve said. 

Bucky grinned. “Okay: weird Asian tentacle porn then. In shades of purple.” 

Steve laughed out loud and it made Bucky like Steve even more. “Do I look the type?”

“Honest? You look very clean cut, but what does that say about a person? Know what I mean? You can't tell by the way a person dresses if they like kinky sex or if they're a virgin. Maybe you are into alien-tentacle porn, maybe you're not. I won't judge either way.”

“That's good to know,” Steve said. 

“Are you?” 

“What?”

“Are you into weird tentacle porn?” 

“No, no. I'm not,” Steve said. 

Bucky really wanted to ask what Steve was into, but – not a question for today, maybe next week. Maybe the week after that. He was hoping that he would see more of Steve. Soon and frequently. 

~+~  
Bucky smiled as he saw Natasha opening the door. Her hair was a darker shade of red this week. It looked more natural. Bucky wasn't sure if she was coming back for the coffee or the conversation.   
She smiled at him and greeted him in Russian. Bucky complimented her on her hair. She threw another smile at him. Called him a charmer. He bowed his head.   
Those chats with Natasha helped him stay fluent in Russian and he was glad that he had overheard her cursing a guy out in front of his shop that nearly ran her over. He had laughed so hard, he had been nearly crying and then she looked at him and he grinned at her.   
The rest as they like to say is history.   
Bucky liked all of his regulars, but some of them felt more like friends. Like Natasha and Clint. Even English.

“What can I get you?” he asked. 

She named a ridiculously named coffee-flavored drink and he nodded. She frowned. “I was sure you wouldn’t know what it is,” she said. 

“Do you even know what it is?” Bucky shot back. “Besides it's my job to know all the trendy coffee-flavored drinks.” 

“It's mostly coffee-”

“It's mostly milk with lots of other stuff and a tiny bit of coffee on top,” Bucky cut in. “Don't call it coffee.”

She grinned. “I'll take one of those cheese-cakes with peaches too.” 

“Coming right up,” Bucky said. He wished it wasn't that busy, so he could sit down with her and have a proper chat. Maybe he should hire another barrister. He knew that Kate wouldn’t stay forever, as she wanted to become a nurse. Most young people didn't see serving coffee as a life-long commitment. Bucky liked it. He didn't want to do anything else. 

~+~  
Steve came even earlier the next week. He caught him and Gabe talking outside of the door. 

“Sorry,” Bucky said, as he was unlocking the door. 

“It's fine,” Gabe replied. “I'm early.” 

“I can see that,” he looked at Steve and Steve smiled at him. “Take a seat wherever. I will be with you in a moment.” 

“Okay,” Steve said. 

Bucky changed in record time, because he didn't want to miss a moment he could be spending with Steve. He could hear Gabe laughing at something Steve said and wanted to be there to see them. To see Steve smile.   
He made their coffees and grabbed two blueberry muffins for Steve as well. 

“Okay, guys,” he said as he put the mugs on the table. 

“Thank you,” Steve said, 

“Aren't you in a hurry?” Bucky asked Gabe. 

Gabe looked at his watch. “I can spare a few minutes, you made my order to go anyway.” 

“You're forever on my case to hurry the fuck up, because you have to be at the office,” Bucky replied, rolling his eyes. “Of course I made your order to go.” 

“Well, today is the day I can spare a few minutes to sit down and chat.” 

“You are a bad influence on him Steve. He will be late for work and then he will lose his job and his apartment and he'll have to sleep under a bridge! Did you think about that when you chatted him up?” Bucky asked, looking at Steve mock earnestly. 

“No, I didn't,” Steve answered. 

“You should have,” Bucky said.

“Hey, I know you wouldn’t let me sleep under a bridge, Bucky,” Gabe threw in. 

“Come to think of it, we do need a bit of help around here,” Bucky said. 

Gabe laughed. “Yeah, no. But thanks for the offer. I have to run. Because if I don't I will lose my job and apartment and you know what they say about guys with no money?”

“No, what?” Steve asked. 

“You have no money, you have no car, you have no woman,” Gabe answered. 

“His girlfriend is German and he's into this weird German rap music and quotes everything wrong I'm sure,” Bucky stage whispered to Steve. 

Gabe slapped him lightly. “See you tomorrow Bucky.” 

“Yeah,” Bucky said, waving at Gabe. 

Steve was still smiling when Bucky looked back at him. “You like working here,” Steve said. 

“I do,” Bucky replied. He really did. He liked meeting all kinds of people. He liked coffee and baked goods. It made people happy to get hot beverages and baked goods, so...it beat an office job every second of every day in Bucky's opinion. 

“So...” Steve said. 

“Right,” Bucky replied. “Be right back, the pics are in my bag.” 

He left Steve at the table to grab the pictures he hadn't hung up in the coffee-shop. Some of those people were more naked than others. Bucky had pictures of people of both genders...you could read into that too, he supposed. Maybe he wanted Steve to read into it. He wanted Steve to know that he was into guys as well. He just wasn't sure if Steve was into guys. The girlfriend question didn't come up yet and Bucky didn't know how to ask it without looking like he wanted to know if Steve was – unattached.

He handed Steve the pictures and sat down again. He pretended not to watch Steve as he looked at them. And he really looked at them and didn't just glance and moved on to the next one. 

“This one,” Steve said, pointing to a shot of a torso and right arm. “That is you.” It wasn't a question at all. You couldn’t see the metal arm in that picture. 

“How did you know?” 

Steve looked at Bucky's wrist pointedly. A bit of ink was showing, but it was only a few lines of a tribal in dark red. The picture was black and white. “I have an eye for details,” Steve explained.

“They say, the devil's in the details,” Bucky said and he was totally flirting now. Steve didn't seem to mind or he didn't catch on. 

“Doesn't look like a devil to me,” Steve replied. “It's really beautiful.” 

“Thank you, Steve,” Bucky said, “I have a red star on the other arm,” he added without really knowing why. 

Steve looked into his eyes and then to the arm. It was mostly covered by the shirt he was wearing, but there was no mistaking that it wasn't a blood and flesh arm. “You plan on adding more?” Steve asked. 

“Maybe,” Bucky replied. He could see that Steve was curious about the arm, but he was too polite to ask. And it wasn't a bad kind of curiosity. He was sure that Steve didn't want to hear gruesome stories about how it happened. He was about to ask Steve if he wanted to see the red star when Clint came in. He sat down at his usual table, nodding as he passed them. 

“Duty calls,” Steve said. 

“Yeah,” Bucky replied, getting up. 

Steve finished his coffee and took the muffins to go. He left a tip, like the last time too. Bucky really needed to tell him to stop that. He knew that teachers didn't earn that much.


	4. Chapter 4

~Four~ 

Steve knew that he couldn’t avoid Peggy's calls much longer, so he asked her to meet him at Habits, where Bucky was working. She knew where it was, it was her who recommended it to him in the first place. 

She was early and Steve wasn't surprised. The place was busy and Bucky wasn't behind the counter. It was Kate. He nodded to her and Peggy lifted an eyebrow at that. 

“You've been holding out on me,” she said, kissing his cheek gently. When they were in school her red, red lipstick used to mark up his skin, now she could afford the expensive kind that didn't leave any smears. 

“You recommended this place,” Steve said, sitting down. 

“I did, but wasn't sure you would check it out,” Peggy replied. “I ordered you your usual. Coffee, black and a piece of chocolate cake.” 

“Thank you,” Steve said. They made idle chitchat until their order was brought to the table. Kate smiled at him, asked how he was and then left them alone. 

“She knows your name,” Peggy pointed out. 

“She does, so...” 

“Right, don't think I don't know what you're doing, but lucky for you I'm not interested in your love-life or lack thereof. That's Sam's problem now. I am all about the art these days.” 

“I told you I don't want my painting in an exhibition,” Steve said. 

“I know. I heard you the first fifty times. But what I don't get is why, Steve. Why? Artist would kill for such an opportunity. This is no church picnic or community center deal. It's a gallery and a hot one too.” 

“I'm happy with my job. I like where I work and what I do,” Steve said. 

“And I know that and I know you will tell me you don't need the extra money and we both know that is bullshit, because everyone needs a bit of extra money, Steve. But if you really don't want it, you could give it to an orphanage or animal shelter or something. Your work is good. It's excellent. I want it in my exhibition.” 

“If wishes were horses-”

“Does anyone know how that saying ends?” Clint cut in as he passed them. 

“Hi Clint,” Steve said. 

“Right back at you,” Clint replied and made his way to the corner table. 

“What was that?” Peggy asked. 

“Clint, being Clint,” Steve answered. 

“How much time do you spend here?” Peggy wanted to know. 

Not enough, Steve thought. He wanted to ask Bucky out, to see him outside of his workplace. He felt a bit like a stalker already.  
“Not that much. I'm a people person.” 

Peggy snorted. “No, you're not. Bucky, the cute barrister with the tattoos? He's a people person.” 

“Mock all you want, but you fell for me,” Steve said. 

“Yeah, I did,” Peggy replied, her voice going soft. She covered his hand with hers. He wanted to sketch how they looked together. Her red nails and his big fingers. Wanted to capture the softness and warmth of her skin, wondered how Bucky's metal hand would feel in Steve's. “So, are you going to tell me why you don't want to contribute to my exhibition? You didn't have a problem with showing off your work when we were in school.”

“I was still experimenting in school.” 

“What are you talking about?” 

He pulled out his phone and showed her the pictures he did of a few of his male nudes. “This.” 

“Steve,” she said. “Did you? Are those yours?” 

“Yes,” Steve said. “See? I can't give you a landscape when there is something like this? And I can't give you this because – I'm a teacher, Peggy. “ And maybe people were trying to be liberal and open minded, but when it came to their kids it was a whole other thing. Steve was young, he was good looking and he was bi-sexual. Which, surely for some people was even worse than being gay. 

She looked at him. “They are gorgeous. Steve.” 

“I know.” He knew that. He was really proud of the male nudes. All of them. The explicit once and those that were tamer. 

She handed the phone back to him and he deleted all the pictures.  
Peggy took a sip of her tea and Steve remembered his coffee. It was still semi warm and he really needed it, so he drank nearly half of it in one go. 

“Anonymously then,” Peggy said. 

“Come again?” Steve asked. 

“Anonymous,” Peggy repeated. “I will put them in the exhibition without a name attached.”  
That was a good idea, but Steve still wasn't sure he wanted to show these painting off. She touched his cheek gently. “I know what you're thinking. And you don't have to decide now. But I'll need an answer soon. I won't push you on this anymore. Now that I know why you refused to give me the landscapes.”

“Alright,” Steve said. “I'll think about it.” 

“Good,” Peggy replied. “Also; I lied when I said your love-life is Sam's problem now.” 

Steve groaned. 

~+~  
Steve felt a million times better after the talk with Peggy. It was an interesting idea to have his painting shown off without having to worry about parents or colleagues judging him for them. 

“Someone looks happy,” Sam commented when Steve got home. 

“Talked with Peggy.” 

“And she talked sense into you and now we will see how your career as an artist will skyrocket!” 

Steve laughed. “Right. As if. No, but we’re good now.” 

“You still don’t want to show your painting off?” Sam asked. 

Steve shrugged. “At least not the landscapes.”

“But something else?” 

Steve nodded. He and Sam had started out as running buddies before they decided it would be a good idea to move in together. Sam had a spare room and Steve had been sick of living alone. Sam was a good friend and Steve knew that he wouldn’t judge. There was really no reason at all to keep the male nudes hidden from Sam. But he just wasn’t ready to share them yet. Maybe it was one of the reasons he was so unsure about the exhibition. 

“Dinner?” Steve asked. 

“Take out? I don’t feel like cooking. I feel like Chinese food and an action movie,” Sam replied, letting the conversation go.

“Okay,” Steve said. “And after, you can tell me all about your day, sweetheart.” 

Sam laughed. “Don’t think I won’t.” 

~+~  
“Hi Steve,” Bucky said and he was smiling that smile that made Steve’s knees go weak. 

“Hi, Bucky,” Steve replied, he wanted to press Bucky to his chest in a firm hug, but – that surely would be weird. 

“The usual?” 

“Yes, please.” Steve liked the early mornings he was spending with Bucky once or twice a week. Twice more recently. He couldn’t stay away and if it weren’t creepy to come by every morning after his run he would. 

“I wonder,” Bucky said, setting the coffee and a peach muffin down on the table. “Where do you get your fix on the days you aren’t here?” 

The truth was, he didn’t. “At Sam’s.”

“Never heard of them, are they any good?” 

“No way to win this, is there?” Steve joked. 

Bucky smiled. “It’s professional curiosity.”

“Sam makes a good cup of coffee, but I think I like it here better.”

“Yeah? You should come more often then,” Buck said. 

Steve still wasn’t sure if Bucky was flirting with him as Steve the person, or if Bucky was flirting because it made for happier customers and better tips. Regulars were good for business. Especially when you weren’t part of a chain. 

“I will,” Steve said anyway, because now that Bucky invited him it wasn’t in any kind stalkerish. 

“You should bring English too, haven’t seen her in a while.” 

“English?” 

“Yeah…Kate saw you with the English woman last week. Pretty, dark her, red lips?”

“Peggy,” Steve replied. “Her name is Peggy. She isn’t really a morning person-” 

“Or a coffee person. Good thing I also serve excellent tea,” Bucky cut in. “She your girlfriend?” 

“No, not anymore,” Steve answered, because he wanted to set the record straight. He and Peggy still looked and sometime behaved like a couple; a habit hard to break if you were together as long as they had been. 

Bucky nodded. Steve wanted him to ask if he was in a relationship right now, but Bucky didn’t and their conversation turned to art and music and the newest comic to movie adaption.

Bucky looked at his phone a good while later and said, “I think you’ll have to run Steve. We don’t want you to be late for class, do we?” 

Steve glanced at his watch. “Oh, yeah. See you soon.” 

“You know my working hours by now, Steve,” Bucky said with a smile. 

Steve smiled back, paid for his coffee, left a tip and took off running. It was a good thing that his Monday morning class wasn’t too demanding. 

~+~  
“We’re going out,” Sam announced Saturday morning. Steve was not sold. He had been looking forward to a quiet evening at home. Just him, some music and a blank canvas. 

“Do we?” 

“When was the last time you went out? Drinking, dancing? Flirting?” Sam asked. 

“When I was with Peggy,” Steve replied frowning. 

“That’s over a year, Steve,” Sam pointed out. 

“I hadn’t realized it was that long.” 

Sam shrugged. “You don’t have to come of course. Everyone on their own pace. And I guess what you do with Bucky could be counted as flirting and getting drinks.” 

Sam was making fun of him, but Steve didn’t mind. “I was planning to paint.” 

“Okay, but you have a whole day to change your mind. Offer still stands.”

“I’ll think about it.” 

~+~  
Steve wasn’t used to dressing up, when he was with Peggy it didn’t really matter what he had been wearing. All eyes were on her anyway. His eyes were on her anyway. 

“You look fine,” Sam said. 

“Gee, thanks,” Steve replied, with a last glance at the mirror. 

Sam grinned. “I can’t have you wearing too tight clothes; you’ll snatch all the girls away.” 

“Not interested,” Steve said. “I’m just going out dancing, not looking for a hook –up.” 

“Fair enough,” Sam replied.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From here on this hasn’t seen a beta yet. I did my best looking it over. Please feel free to point typos out.   
> Thank you guys for all the lovely comments.

~Five~  
Bucky spotted Steve right away. He froze and then relaxed. It was stupid to get nervous just because Steve was here and he was here and there were possibilities opening up that somehow didn’t when they were drinking coffee at the Habits.   
Here Steve was Steve and Bucky was Bucky. 

Natasha followed his gaze. “Cute,” she said.   
Bucky nodded, but he thought ‘cute’ was the understatement of the century. Steve looked like he belonged in a movie – about superheroes maybe. 

“What did I miss?” Clint asked, handing Natasha her drink. 

“Bucky is staring at the blond that just came in. Broad, tall, blue t-shirt.”

“Have him, Steve,” Clint said. Sometimes they sounded like a pair of spies, Bucky thought. 

“You know him?” Natasha asked.

“He’s a regular,” Bucky answered before Clint could. 

“Heart-stopping gorgeous,” Natasha teased. “Wanna go over and say hello? Maybe ask for a dance?” 

“I-“

“If you don’t I will,” she cut in. 

“You might as well,” Bucky said resigned. Steve had been together with English. English was gorgeous too. English was a woman. 

Natasha gave him a look, squared her shoulders and went over to Steve.   
“She’s just riling you up,” Clint said, offering Bucky his beer. Bucky took a swig. 

“I know.”

“Why didn’t you go over and ask Steve for a dance? You usually don’t hesitate.” 

“Steve’s straight.”

Clint made a noncommittal noise. They watched Natasha talk and smile and Steve and his friend smiled back. And then Natasha grabbed Steve’s hand and pulled him onto the dance floor. Bucky watched them until they were swallowed by the mass of dancing people. 

~+~  
Natasha resurfaced with Steve a good half an hour later. 

“This is Steve,” she said like Bucky didn’t know. It was really a minor miracle that Steve had never seen Natasha at the shop before. “Steve these are Clint and Bucky.”

“Steve,” Clint said. 

“Clint,” Steve replied. “Bucky,” he said and his voice went kind of soft on Bucky’s name. 

Steve’s friend made a noise. “Oh, that is Sam,” Steve added. 

Sam looked to Steve and then to Bucky and then he smiled. “Hi.” 

Sam, Bucky thought, “As in Sam’s coffee?” he asked. 

“What?” Sam asked. 

“Yeah, like that,” Steve grinned. 

“I feel like I’m missing a vital part of this conversation,” Sam said. 

“It’s fine,” Steve replied, sitting down as Clint made room for him beside Bucky. 

He didn’t know why he felt nervous all of a sudden, but maybe it was because he had never been this close to Steve. He could feel Steve’s body heat and smell his aftershave, and sweat.   
Natasha put another drink in front of him. Bucky’s metal arm bumped into Steve’s. 

“Sorry,” he said, snatching it away. It was always a lot cooler than his real arm. 

“Don’t be,” Steve said. “It’s nice. Cool.” He added and pressed his arm against Bucky’s on purpose. Steve was looking at the edges of the red star peeking out of the sleeve of his t-shirt. 

“The star or the arm,” Bucky teased. 

“I haven’t seen the star yet,” Steve replied and was he flirting with Bucky? 

“You asking me to take my shirt off?” Bucky said. 

Steve turned a light shade of pink. “I-“

“I was teasing,” Bucky cut in. 

“I would like to see it, someday, if you’d let me,” Steve said, looking Bucky in the eyes and pressing his arm a bit harder into Bucky’s. 

Bucky was insanely aware of Steve and of his own attraction to Steve and: “Wanna dance?” 

Somehow he was sure that Steve would decline, but instead he got up and held out a hand to Bucky.   
“Sure,” Steve said, grabbing Bucky’s hand and pulling him onto the dance floor. 

The first few songs were hard and fast. Steve was a graceful dancer for a guy so big and broad. Bucky wanted to press his hands against that chest, let his fingers slide over Steve’s sides and settle on his hips.  
When the music changed to something slower he hesitated before he settled his hands carefully on Steve’s hips. Steve stepped closer to him. 

Bucky looked from his own hands to Steve’s face. “Just to make sure,” he said, leaning in close to Steve’s ear so Steve could hear him over the music. “You were flirting, right?” 

“Yes. I was- I'm sorry, wasn't that obvious? I thought it was obvious,” Steve answered. His cheeks were coloring a lovely shade of pink, but maybe it was the light. 

Bucky grabbed his hips harder and pulled him in. “I was pretty sure you were once you said you wanted to see my star.” 

“Do you use that as a-”

Bucky grinned. “My cock was called a lot of things, but never that.” 

Steve buried his face in Bucky's neck and Bucky could feel his laughter there. It made him shiver in a good way.   
Once Steve got a grip again, he looked at Bucky. His eyes were such a fucking clear blue it was unreal. And his lips – Bucky licked his own lips and Steve followed that motion with his eyes. 

“Do you want to get out of here?” Bucky asked. God he wanted to get his hands on Steve's perfect naked body.   
Steve nodded. 

~+~  
Bucky was licking into Steve's mouth the second they left the club. Steve was making the most exciting noises. Bucky never wanted to stop listening to them. 

“Wait-” Steve panted and pushed Bucky away. 

Not too far, his fingers were still curled in Bucky's jacket. “What? Why?” 

Steve smiled fondly. “I'm perfectly happy to make out with you here, but maybe we could get somewhere where it's warmer? With less – people?” 

“How far is your place away?” Bucky asked. He didn't like to invite people to his apartment; it was easier to leave in the morning than to make someone leave. 

“Not that far,” Steve said. 

“Can we walk?” Bucky asked. 

“Taxi would be faster,” Steve replied. 

“Good luck with that,” Bucky said, kissing Steve again, just because. His lips were really soft. He wanted to bite them until Steve pushed him away, pushed him into the mattress and - 

“Watch a master at work,” Steve said and stepped away from him. 

Bucky felt cold without Steve's body so close. He did watch Steve work and it was a fucking miracle because in no time at all they were sitting in a taxi on their way to Steve's apartment. 

~+~  
Steve was about to offer Bucky a drink, but Bucky kissed him hard before he could get the words out. He didn't even care they were still in the hall.   
He pushed Steve against the nearest wall and sank down to his knees. 

“Bucky-” 

“If you start to protest now-” Bucky said, nuzzling Steve's cock through his jeans. 

“No, no protesting at all,” Steve said, brushing his fingers against Bucky's face. 

Bucky looked up. Licked his lips. “Good, cause I really want to get my mouth on you.” 

Steve's head banged against the wall softly. “God-”

Bucky laughed, grabbing Steve's hands and placing them firmly on his head. “You can...” 

Steve carded his fingers through Bucky's hair so Bucky was sure he got the hint just fine. 

His own fingers undid Steve's pants in a matter of seconds, he pushed them down as far as they needed to go and then leaned in.   
Steve groaned as Bucky licked the head and then kissed it before he sucked it in.   
Steve's fingers tightened in his hair.   
Bucky could feel himself getting hard and he really wanted to rub his dick a bit, but then Steve groaned above him and Bucky opted to take Steve's cock in deeper, sucking hard.  
Suddenly he needed Steve to come.   
Steve was pulling at his hair; gently at first and then harder.   
Bucky looked up at him and hummed. 

Steve moaned. “Bucky.”  
God. But he loved how his name sounded from Steve's kiss swollen lips.   
Steve pulled harder and Bucky let his cock slip out of his mouth. 

“Something wrong?” He asked, but he was grinning, because he knew he was good at this. 

“No – no, just,” Steve took a breath. “You don't have to swallow.” 

Bucky got up and pushed against Steve, while he opened his own pants. “You're so nicely slick and wet now,” he whispered, pressing his own cock against Steve's. 

Steve kissed him hard then, took both their cocks in his hand and stroked them to orgasm. 

~+~  
Bucky was shedding clothes on his way to Steve's room and Steve was picking them up. 

“Neat freak?” 

“No – considered roommate,” Steve replied. 

Bucky kicked his underwear off. “Sam must love you.” 

Steve picked the boxer-briefs up and pressed his lips to them. Bucky's cock jerked violently.   
Steve smirked.   
Bucky was suspecting that Steve wasn't all vanilla all the time at all. This could be real fun.


	6. Chapter 6

~Six~  
Steve woke up to the smell of coffee. His hand reached out to find a cold empty place where Bucky should have been. He stretched and felt his body tingle and ache slightly in all the right places. Last night had been spectacular. Just thinking about Bucky on his knees made Steve hard again.   
The way that metal hand felt between his lips – he groaned into the pillow. It still smelled like them.  
Steve didn't want to get up. He wanted for Bucky to come back, so they could start another round before breakfast. Maybe with licking Bucky’s tattoos for a start, he thought.   
But as Bucky wasn't in his bed right now, maybe Steve should get up and pour himself a mug of coffee. Shower, after. Showering with Bucky would surely be fun.   
Steve jerked off hard and fast and then got up. He washed up real quick before he ventured out into the kitchen. 

“Morning,” Sam said. 

“Sam,” Steve replied, looking around. 

“Looking for someone?” 

“I-” Steve frowned. 

“He's not here,” Sam said. 

“Oh.” It was like a bucket of cold water. “I thought – he might.” 

“Stay for breakfast? Yeah, I offered that. He looked real uncomfortable when I did.” 

“Oh,” Steve said again. He didn't know what he was feeling. Disappointment. Yes, that. And something else, but he wasn't sure what it was. 

“Hey,” Sam said. “I made those cinnamon rolls you like.” 

“Thanks,” Steve replied. Sam poured him a mug and handed it over.   
Steve took it mechanically. 

“So, that was Bucky.” 

“Yeah, that was Bucky.” 

“And you two had sex,” Sam said. 

“Yeah, we did,” Steve replied. And it had been great sex too. He felt connected and cared for, Bucky was in no way a selfish lover. And Steve had thought that this was a beginning. One time of many.   
But maybe it was something else for Bucky.   
He took a sip of his coffee. Grimaced at the added sugar. 

“You really have it bad for him,” Sam said. 

Steve sighed. “Yeah, but I'm not sure if he feels the same way.” 

“Here is a piece of all time, always good advice: talk to him.” 

“I thought we were on the same page. Last night. I thought -” he stopped. 

“Talk to him.” 

Steve nodded. “I don't want him to think I'm stalking him, so maybe not at the cafe?” 

“Good thinking there, Rogers. But how else do you want to ask him out? Did he leave a number?” 

“No,” Steve said. 

Shit, and maybe that should have been a clue right there. People who want to see you again leave a number. 

“Eat your cinnamon roll and drink your coffee and then we can talk some more about your teenage angst.” 

“I'm not sure if you're the best friend a guy can have or the worst.” 

“The best. There. Settled,” Sam grinned. 

Steve took a roll. 

~+~  
It took Steve three days and he was back at Habits again. 

“Hi Steve,” Kate said, smiling at him. 

Steve looked around. “I thought it was Bucky's shift?”

“He's on vacation,” Kate replied. “The usual?” 

Steve nodded. He didn't really want a coffee and a blueberry muffin, he wanted to talk to Bucky, but - “How long will he be gone?”

“A week I think?” She poured him coffee and brought it to his table with the muffin. 

“Thanks.” 

She smiled at him.   
A week, that wasn't too bad. He could totally wait a week to talk to Bucky. But he wondered, was it only a coincidence that Bucky had left for vacation after he slept with Steve? Was it a hint?   
Steve wished Bucky would just remember them. That summer.   
He sighed and drank his coffee. 

~+~  
Despite everything the weeks Bucky was away (because it was weeks, instead of one, as Steve soon discovered) Steve was kept fairly busy with classes and projects and Peggy's calls. 

She still wanted a painting and Steve knew exactly which one he would like to show her. He had been working on it since he slept with Bucky, but there were sketches of Bucky (now and then) in pretty much every sketchbook he owned.   
How big were the chances that Bucky would see it anyway? 

Steve's art-room wasn't much more than a supply closet, really. There was just enough room for an aisle, a chair and a small cabinet for brushes and paints. The walls were covered in paintings, it had a window. That was mostly what had sold Steve on the apartment. And he was grateful that Sam didn't seem to mind that Steve got this extra room even they split the rent in half.   
Sam never even asked to see it. No one knew what was inside except for Steve. He was a bit like a non-crazy version of Bluebeard. 

Bucky's lines and angles always came easily to Steve (that was how he knew he was in love) and now it was like magic. He didn't understand how he could pour all of this out and Bucky – maybe Steve should just tell him about that summer.   
Would that be creepy? Now, after they slept together?   
He finished the shadows on the metal plating of the arm and got up. He'll have to wait for the paint to dry anyway.   
He should get something to eat. 

“Didn't think you would come out of there any time soon,” Sam said. He was making sandwiches and Steve suspected that at least two were for him. Sam was good like that, knocking on the door and leaving food for Steve in front of it. 

“Paint has to dry,” Steve replied. “Thank you,” he added as Sam sat down a plate in front of him. 

“How did you even survive college?” Sam asked, shaking his head. 

“Peggy. She put stuff in front of me while I worked on my art. I would have probably starved without her.”

“That's the real reason you wanted a roommate, isn't it? There is actually a bit self-preservation left in you.” 

Steve smiled. “Maybe.” 

“What are you working on anyway?” 

“Bucky,” Steve said. 

“Oh.”

“I'm not only a landscapes guy, you know?”

“How should I? You only showed me the landscapes,” Sam answered. 

Maybe it was time to show Sam what else Steve had been working on. Now that he decided to give Peggy one male nude for her art show. It would be stupid to feel shy about it with Sam. “I can show you the other stuff. The good stuff.”

“Steve your landscapes are fantastic,” Sam said earnestly. 

“Thanks, but – the nudes are better. So much better,” Steve replied, biting into his sandwich. It was really good. 

Sam looked at him. “Nudes, hmm?” 

“Yeah, nudes.” 

“I'm sure they're very artistic.” 

Steve grinned. “They're naked people.” 

“Did you paint Peggy like that?” 

“Yeah, but I don't think I should show that one around.” 

The one of Bucky wasn't indecent either. You couldn’t see his cock or anything. Steve opted for his torso, the arm, the scars, the delicate looking collarbone and neck, Bucky's chin and lips. That sensual mouth. Steve was thinking about calling that painting 'Mars'. 

“But the one of Bucky?” 

“When you see it, you'll understand why,” Steve replied. He felt really confident about it too. But just to be sure he would tell Bucky about it and ask if it was okay for Steve to put it into the art-show.


	7. Chapter 7

~Seven~  
Natasha was glaring at him. It was too early to have to deal with Natasha's glare. He was too tired to be on her bad side for whatever reason. 

“I thought Clint was going to pick me up,” he said, handing her his bags. She threw them in the trunk of her car and pressed her lips together. “Okay...so you're in a shitty mood, but let me tell you that I am too tired to deal with it now. So spit it out or leave me in peace, Tasha.” 

She huffed. “Get in the car. I'm glad you're still alive.” 

“You knew it was coming up,” Bucky said, getting in the passenger seat and bucking up. He stared out of the car window, because he didn't want to think. 

“I don't understand why you go back every fucking year,” she said, angrily. “And I hate that you're never telling us before.” 

“You would try and stop me,” Bucky replied. 

“Of fucking course, we would! It can't be good for you to go back there.” 

“It's only a few days and I hope I can remember more.” 

“I wish you would stop. You only seem to remember the shitty parts,” she sighed and started the car. 

He couldn’t argue that. At first after the accident he hadn't remembered a goddamned thing. And it bothered the shit out of him. Then pieces came back to him like bread crumbs and he had followed them to Europe where the accident had happened. And now he was going back at least once a year to try to jog his memory. Bucky was sure there were more bread crumbs lying around there. Somewhere.  
But she was right; he seemed only to remember the shitty parts. His fucked up and unhealthy relationship with Pierce -which had been the reason for the accident in the first place. Pierce was dead now, because he had been the one driving that fucking car on that fucking street in the fucking Alps where Bucky lost his fucking arm. He rubbed his metal arm absentmindedly. He knew there had to had been good times too, but he couldn’t remember them, only the fights, the drinking, the hard fucking. His anger and his frustration.   
So he took a plane once a year and visited that place that nearly cost him his life because he had been stupid and in love. 

“Steve had been by,” she said. 

“Okay...”

“You didn't tell him either you would be away,” Natasha said. 

“I didn't tell anyone, Tasha,” he replied. “That had been the point. I wanted to do it alone.” 

She looked at him sharply before she looked back at the street again. “You let him take you home, you fucked for sure and then you just left. That was a dick-move and you know it. Steve is a decent guy.” 

“I didn't plan it that way. I already had the ticket and my bags were packed when Clint said he wanted to go out that night.” 

“You didn't have to sleep with him,” Natasha pointed out. 

“I know,” Bucky replied. He knew that. But he had wanted Steve and Steve had wanted him and the sex had been spectacular. The way Steve gasped his name when Bucky slid into him, the way he had clutched Bucky so close, the heat of Steve's skin. The fucking taste of Steve's skin. Bucky had been jerking off to memories of that night pretty much every day since he left for Europe. 

“I hope you're going to make it up to him,” Natasha said. 

“You like him?” 

“He has his charms,” she allowed. “And I think he's good for you.”

“I hardly know him. We haven't even been on a date.”

“What are you calling all these mornings you made him coffee and you talked about art and shit?” 

“He doesn't know me,” Bucky said. He didn't believe it himself. It was true that he only met Steve a few months ago and that they haven't even spent that much time together, but it didn't feel like Steve didn't know him. It didn't feel like he didn't know Steve. When he was with Steve it felt like a part of his life that had been missing was given back to him. Which was utterly stupid. And he wasn't going to tell anyone about it ever. 

“Let him then,” Natasha said. “At least explain to him that you disappearing on him for weeks didn't have anything to do with the fact that you two fucked.” 

Bucky winced, but nodded. She was right about that. 

~+~  
“You're back,” Steve said, stopping in the door and staring at Bucky.

Bucky smiled his most charming smile. “I am back. Missed me?”

Steve shook his head, it wasn't a no, Bucky knew. “Kate had said you would be gone a week. On vacation.” Steve caught himself and walked over to the counter where Bucky was leaning against it. Steve was so close Bucky could smell his sweat. He wanted to reach over, grab Steve by his sweat soaked running shirt and drag him in, kiss him hard until they were both out of breath. But he didn't have that right. At least not right now. 

“It took longer, it always does,” Bucky said. “I got you a souvenir.”

“A souvenir?”

“Yes, superior European chocolate.” 

“You were in Europe?” Steve asked, leaning his arms on the counter. Now Bucky could nearly feel Steve's body heat. 

Bucky shrugged. “Yeah.” 

“How can you-”

“This is actually my business, Steve I own this place. And it's doing really well for a few years now.” Bucky explained. 

“Oh,” Steve said. “I didn't know that.” 

“Because you don't know a lot of things about me and my life,” Bucky replied. 

“Guess I don't,” Steve said. There was an edge to his voice that Bucky didn't like. 

“Same goes for me,” Bucky said hastily, before Steve could do or say something stupid and end this before it really began. 

Steve blinked. “Sorry, what?”

“I mean I don't know much about you either, I mean your life before we met and all that. Except that you and English were a couple.” 

“Peggy,” Steve said, his voice going soft on her name. 

“Yeah, and that you're a teacher and like art, but besides that? Nothing. I would like to change that.”

“You're asking me out?” 

“Do you want me to ask you out?” Bucky wanted to know. He was pretty sure that Steve wanted to go out with him, but suddenly it was really important to know for sure. 

“Yes,” Steve answered. “Yes, I want you to ask me out.”

“Will you say yes when I do?” Bucky asked. 

“Buck,” Steve said and no one ever called him Buck except that boy…that scrawny boy back when Bucky still had two flesh arms. Sunshine and ugly bruises on pale skin: the memory hit hard, he curled his metal hand into a fist, could hear the plates shift. “I’m a sure thing.”

Steve’s voice anchored him in the here and now. He relaxed, smiled at Steve. “Are you now?”

Steve smiled back. “That doesn’t mean I’m boring and predictable.” 

“Oh, I know you aren’t,” Bucky said and put just a little bit of growl into his voice. 

“You’re picking me up then?” 

“You want flowers too?” Bucky asked. 

“It so happens that I like flowers, but don’t feel obliged.”

“Eight?” 

“Saturday?”

“Yeah,” Bucky said. 

Steve’s smile was blinding. 

~+~  
Bucky couldn’t remember when the last time was he had been on an honest to god date. Usually he went out, picked someone up, had sex, went home.   
Rinse and repeat at will. 

“You look good,” Natasha said. “You know you look good.”

“Yeah,” Bucky replied. 

“No need to be nervous, he already said he’s a sure thing. You slept with him and still want to go out, doesn’t that tell you something?”

It did tell Bucky something. Mainly that he was in deep shit. He hadn’t had a real relationship with a guy since Pierce.   
Steve wasn’t anything like Pierce, but the sheer size of him could be intimidating on any other man. 

“It’s just a date,” Clint said from the kitchen area. A beer in hand. 

The thing was, it wasn’t just a date. Like Natasha had pointed out, he and Steve had been kinda dating through coffee and muffins at Habits.   
This was the next big step, because Bucky wasn’t counting one time sex as the next step. Even if it had been mind-blowingly good.   
It had been all casual before, at least for Bucky. This was anything but casual. This was a step on the path to serious, to telling Steve about the accident, about his fucked up relationship with Pierce, about his memory and commitment issues. Bucky was a fucking mess, covered up by a charming smile, quick wit and nice body.   
He wasn’t in any way a good catch, he wasn’t wholesome. And what when Steve finally clued in that Bucky was a fucking mess?

“Breathe,” Clint said. “No need to paint the worst case scenario yet. Can’t end worse than your relationship with that scumbag Pierce anyway.”

Bucky choked out a laugh and then smoothed his tie. Clint was right.   
Even if it should fall apart one day, it would fall apart nicely and gradually, not like a train wreck. Steve didn’t seem the type to hurt the people he once loved.   
You just had to look at his relationship with English and Bucky knew that Steve had loved Peggy a lot. 

“It would be a shame to lose another limb,” Bucky said. 

Clint laughed. “Yeah, it would.” 

“Enjoy yourself, Bucky,” Natasha said. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” 

“I think I actually did everything you did.” 

She smirked at him. “Get out. And don’t forget the flowers.” 

Bucky didn’t. 

~+~  
Steve blushed prettily when Bucky handed the flowers over and Bucky wanted to forgo the dinner and talking and push Steve against the nearest wall instead, press his knee to Steve’s cock and make him moan. 

“You wanted a date, dinner, talking, dressing up,” Steve reminded him as he put the flowers in a vase. 

“Reading my mind? Or were you thinking the same?”

“It’s written all over you face Bucky.”

“What is?” Bucky asked playfully. 

“What you want to do instead of going out,” Steve answered. 

“You know I haven’t seen what was written on my face, maybe you want to-“

Steve kissed him hard, pressed him against the nearest wall and devoured his mouth until they were both breathless. “That was written all over you face.” He stepped back, straightened his suit and looked at Bucky. “But first dinner.” He grinned. “We will need our strength.” 

No, Bucky thought, Steve wasn’t boring at all. He was a little shit under that whole pretty and wholesome art teacher facade.   
“Planning on seducing me after?” Bucky asked, smiling. 

“I’m not good at the game,” Steve confessed. “I’ll probably just get naked as soon as we close the door.” 

Bucky stared at him for a second or two. “I think you are very good at that game.”

Steve smiled.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update, but there was a wedding and a trip to the Netherlands and I was barely home.

~Eight~

"Did you talk to him about the exhibition?” Sam asked.

Steve took a sip of his coffee and then looked at Sam. “It came up that there will be one.”

“Steve,” Sam said.

“I know, I know…I just don’t know how to tell him I creepily painted him from memory and that I want the whole world-“

Sam snorted, “Whole world, you wish. A few snobs, if anything.”

“And Peggy,” Steve said, firmly.

Sam nodded, smiling. “And Peggy.”

“To see that painting. My little obsession.”

“I bet he’s not little,” Sam said.

Steve gave him a look. “This is a serious conversation. Dicks have no place here.”

“Just tell him, Steve. He’s into you. If he’s really uncomfortable you can always change the painting for some other nude male.”

Yes, Steve could, because they were all good. But ‘Mars’ was the best he had done in a while.  
Steve sighed. “You’re right. I don’t know why I’m so nervous about it. Bucky doesn’t seem to have a problem with his body. Like at all.”

“It’s because,” Sam said with that freaky insight of his, “He will see himself like you see him and that makes you nervous.”

And it was exactly that.  
And there was also the thing that Bucky still didn’t remember him, or connect him to that kid he used to be. And Steve hadn’t told him about it either yet.

~+~  
“You painted me from memory?” Bucky asked.

Steve nodded. “Yeah. Is that creepy?”

“No,” Bucky said with an emphasis. “It’s amazing. I mean when did you have even the time to commit my naked body to memory when we were pretty much fucking until we couldn’t anymore that night?”

“I can’t turn it off, you know. Committing details to memory. I mean. Part of my brain is always collecting.”

Bucky smirked. “Collecting. Nice.”

“So…you are fine with the exhibition.”

“How much can you see, really?”

“Back, ass, the arm.” Steve didn't think he had to clarify which one, but really both would be a dead give away.

“So even if my face would be obscured in shadows or something people would clue in, because the arm is one of a kind.”

“I didn’t feel comfortable covering it up. You’re not ashamed of your body,” Steve said.

“No,” Bucky replied. “Not anymore.”

Steve nodded. There was always an adjustment period, Steve knew that. “Are you fine with it being shown off?” Steve asked, again.

Bucky ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t know.”

“Okay.”

“It’s not a no, I just need to think about it,” Bucky said.

“Okay,” Steve replied. It really was. He had hoped that Bucky would be happy about it, and he seemed happy enough about the fact that Steve had painted him, but it was a huge step to let a whole lot of strangers see him naked. “But for the record, you look amazing naked.”

Bucky smirked. “Yeah? What do you like in particular about me being naked?”

“When you’re naked with me pressed against you.”

Bucky grabbed him so fast that Steve had no time to react at all until his lips were pressed against Bucky’s.

“I like that, am totally on board with it. In fact we should do it now,” Bucky said when they came up for air. He was already pulling away and pulling his shirt over his head. There was this single minded determination in his eyes that made Steve all hot and bothered when it was directed at him like that.  
The thing was Steve couldn’t get enough of Bucky’s naked skin either. As soon as Bucky had his shirt off Steve ran his fingertips over his exposed delicate looking collarbone.  
“Committing details to memory?” Bucky teased, leaning in again.

“I don’t think I need to anymore Buck,” Steve answered and kissed him again. This time it was a bit more paced, a bit tenderer. Steve knew by now that Bucky liked the hard and frantic sex a lot, they crashed into each other on a regular basis.  
They made it to Steve’s bed in a matter of seconds, the clothes were off a few moments later and then Steve was straddling Bucky, just looking at him. He wanted to tell Bucky that he was beautiful but felt strangely shy about voicing it.

Bucky let his hands slide up Steve’s legs and settled them on Steve’s hips. He smiled. “Wanna stare at me all day, or are you going to fuck me soon?”

“I don’t want to decide, so I’m thinking, I will make love to you first and then stare at you a bit,” Steve said. He could feel Bucky tense under him. “Bucky?”

Bucky’s fingers tightened on his hips and he closed his eyes. “Make love to me, hmm?”

“I-,” Steve stopped, looked at Bucky and then leaned down and kissed his forehead gently. “Yes.” He wanted to ask if this was a deal breaker, but it would be stupid.

“Come on then,” Bucky said, “Do your best.”

~+~  
Bucky was grinning, Steve could feel it: an undercurrent of joy. He could also feel Bucky’s sweat soaked skin and the heat of his body and he wanted to make love to Bucky again, exactly the same languid way he just did. Maybe with a variation here and there to keep Bucky on his toes.  
Bucky turned on his side so he could look at Steve.

“You’re pretty good at this,” he said.

“Thanks,” Steve replied. He turned his head to look at Bucky. “But it sounds like you didn’t think I would be.”

“I don’t mean anything by it. I just thought that when you said, ‘make love’ you would want to treat me like you would a woman.”

Steve blinked, reached out to curl his fingers on Bucky’s naked, gorgeous hip. “Actually, I don’t think I make a distinction. You’re you and you like things you like and I want to introduce you to other things you might like. And if not, that’s cool too.”

“So, if I weren’t into your whole love making thing you would still want to…” Bucky trailed off and waved a hand between them.

“Yeah.”

“Hmm.”

“Because I’m not a dick, you know? I actually care that you like what we do, too.”

“I know you’re not a dick, Steve,” Bucky said. He turned away and looked at the ceiling.

Steve’s hand lost contact with Bucky’s skin and he frowned. “Are you mad?”

“No,” Bucky said.

“Buck-“

“What’s with this Buck business anyway,” he asked, before Steve could say anything else.  
Steve was sure there was something that Bucky wanted or needed to talk about – Steve still didn’t know how Bucky lost the arm and when. When he asked Bucky only said it had been an accident, a long time ago.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean why does it sound like you’ve said it before?”

“I did-“

“No, before,” Bucky said, turning to look Steve in the eyes again. Was this the moment, Steve thought to tell Bucky about how they had been friends as kids? How Bucky had been the only one who threaded Steve like an equal? How he had fallen in love with Bucky without even knowing it? How he thought he would never see Bucky again.

Steve took a deep breath. “It’s because we met before.”

“I’m pretty sure I would remember meeting you before, Steve.”

“Are you?”

“What that’s supposed to mean?”

“After your accident you lost things, right? Memories? So how would you –“

“I was twenty when I lost that arm,” Bucky said. “Everything after that is still there, and most of the stuff before too. I admit there are holes where things should be, but I have most of it back now. And besides: I was hopping all over Europe by the age of sixteen, so how could we have met?”

“We met before,” Steve said. “I was ten, you were eleven.”

“How do you know it was me?”

“I just know,” Steve insisted.

“It could have been anybody, Steve. You just said you were ten.”

“It was you,” Steve said. “I used to be really small and scrawny for my age and I used to get beat up all the time because I was mouthy, and you didn’t make me feel any different than the other kids you were hanging out with.”

“I don’t really remember.”

“We went to Coney Island once and you dared me to ride the Cyclone and I didn’t want you to think I’m too chicken-shit for it and I didn’t tell you I didn’t actually feel well that day and-“

“You threw up afterwards,” Bucky cut in.

“Yeah.”

“We spent one summer in Brooklyn Steve, one.”

“I know, but I think you were my only true friend and I cried for days when you had to leave.” It was stupid, but he didn’t feel embarrassed about it. His ten year old self had felt like the world had been ending when Bucky left.

“We moved around a lot and that year after the one I spent with my aunt in Brooklyn my dad got a job at the other end of the country and then my parents died when I was fifteen and shit went south.”

“What about your aunt?” Steve asked.

Bucky shrugged. “She died a couple years earlier. So I had no one, and it was hard for a while.”

“You lived on the streets?”

“Yeah, but not for long…” he trailed off. “Because then I met Alexander. He was charming. I was a hot blooded teenager.”

“Bucky-“

“I realize it sounds bad now, but it really wasn’t at the beginning I mean, and we didn’t fuck back then either. That started later.”

“You said he was charming.”

“Yeah, but he was kinda controlling and messed up too,” Bucky closed his eyes briefly. “We were home everywhere in Europe. He was filthy rich. I didn’t know what he did exactly, but I’m not stupid, I knew it wasn’t all legal. You know?”

Steve nodded. “Did you love him?”

“Guess I did,” Bucky said. “We were in Germany or Austria, the fucking Alps for sure and it was all very idyllic, we were on the way to his chalet. He was on my case about something or other. We were kinda always falling apart, you know? And I was so feed up with it. He was driving too fast, but he was always driving too fast and then we crashed and he died and I lost the arm.”

Steve had thought about what Bucky had called the accident, but he had never imagined a story like this. Steve reached out and curled his fingers around Bucky’s metal wrist gently.

“I called the painting I made of you ‘Mars’. And now I see how much it fits you.”

“Like the god of war,” Bucky said, it wasn’t even a question. His lips curled into a smirk. “A futuristic version of him.”

Steve really wanted to ask about the arm, because it wasn’t something you saw every day and where the hell did Bucky get it? But he didn’t feel like it was the time for it now. Bucky had already told him a lot about his past and Steve knew it must have been painful for him, no matter how hard he tried to play it down.

“It’s a whole new world, Buck,” Steve said and Bucky laughed. Steve thought it was becoming fast his favorite sound in the world.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we’re done. Thank you to all of you for the comments and kudos.   
> My Stucky Bigbang story should be up soon-ish, maybe some of you would like to check it out.

~Nine~

“I want to see it,” Bucky said the next time they met and it was clear from the look on Steve’s face that he hadn’t been expecting Bucky at all. Bucky couldn’t blame him as he was currently in front of Steve’s school and lounging against Natasha’s amazing car. That he had borrowed. 

“See what?” Steve asked and then shook his head. “The painting.”

“Yes,” Bucky said and was really glad that Steve wasn’t asking what the hell Bucky was doing here. 

“Did I tell you at which school I work?” Steve asked, coming closer. 

Bucky reached out and pulled him in by his jacket. Steve smiled. It made Bucky’s stomach flip. It was all so easy with Steve. Bucky could hardly trust it.   
“No,” he answered. “I have my means and ways.”

“I’m sure you do,” Steve said, kissing Bucky’s forehead gently. 

“Mister Rogers!” a small girl said, tugging at Steve’s pant leg. Bucky hadn’t even noticed her until now. 

“Yes, Eva?” Steve asked. 

She looked with her big brown eyes to Steve and then to Bucky, bit her lip and then nodded, like she just made a decision. 

“Is that your husband?” she asked. 

Steve smiled down at her. “Not yet.”

She nodded, stuck her small dark hand out to Bucky. “I’m Eva.”

“James,” Bucky said. “But my friends call me Bucky.” 

“Can I call you Bucky? I think it's a cool name,” Eva asked. 

“Sure can, kid.” 

She beamed at him and Bucky was sure she was about to start asking a million questions when her mother called her and Eva made a face, but said goodbye politely before she ran off. 

“You just made a new friend,” Steve teased. 

“I make friends all the time Rogers.” 

Steve smiled and then grabbed Bucky by the neck and kissed him hard. “I know you like me the most,” he said. 

“You're making a scene, in front of your place of employment,” Bucky said, but he was grinning, because he couldn’t help himself around Steve. “There are kids-”

“It's just a kiss, but wait until I get you home,” Steve interrupted. 

“Get in the car,” Bucky ordered and Steve laughed and did. 

~+~  
Bucky slammed Steve against the door as soon as they were inside Steve's apartment. Steve was moaning as Bucky pressed a knee against his dick. 

“Buck-”

“Okay,” a voice said, that could only be Sam. 

Bucky groaned, kissed Steve again and then disentangled himself from Steve. Steve's pupils were blown and Bucky wanted nothing more than to sink to his knees and suck Steve’s pretty cock, but – Sam. 

“Sorry,” Steve said. “I thought-”

“Yeah, that I wasn't home. Sorry for cock-blocking you,” Sam replied, but Bucky didn't think he sounded sorry at all. 

Bucky kissed Steve's forehead and stepped away from him. “I notice how you don't offer to go do the thing you have to do somewhere else,” Bucky said. 

Sam grinned. “That's because I don't have a thing until later and I think you two can totally wait a few hours.” 

“You're evil,” Bucky said. 

Sam shrugged. “Maybe I am. Coffee?”

Bucky nodded. Coffee was the next best thing now. “Sure. I heard yours wasn't so bad.” 

Sam laughed. “Not like I can compete with a professional.” 

“I won't hold it against you,” Bucky replied. 

“Why are you guys here anyway?” Sam asked as he was wandering over to the kitchen to start the coffee maker. It was a bit fancier than you would expect from guys like Sam and Steve. 

“Bucky wanted to see the painting I made of him,” Steve said, finally deciding to join the conversation. 

“That didn't look like you wanted to admire art,” Sam said with a look at Bucky.

“Didn't it? I am sure I was worshiping a work of art.” 

Sam laughed again. 

“Sweet talker,” Steve mumbled, but Bucky noticed and liked the light blush spreading across his cheeks. 

“You should keep that one Steve,” Sam said. 

“I plan to,” Steve replied, sitting down at the kitchen table. Bucky followed suite. 

“I’d like to see it too,” Sam said after they had their coffees. 

Bucky frowned into his mug. One the one hand it would be good to have someone else look at it, because that was what would happen as soon as Steve gave it to English for the exhibition. On the other hand he really wanted to be the first to see it.

“Bucky?” Steve asked. 

“What? It’s your painting,” Bucky replied, looking at Steve. 

“It is, but other people will see it soon enough,” Steve said. 

“I – I’m not against Sam seeing it. I just want to be the first one to see it, because we haven’t decided yet that you will give it to English.” 

Steve smiled. “Okay. You can look at it and when you think it’s good enough-“

“Oh who are you kidding, I’m sure it’s amazing,” Bucky cut in. 

“It’s also personal.” 

Bucky nodded. “For both of us, but you want to show it off.” 

“Yeah,” Steve said. 

Bucky finished his coffee and got up. “Okay, lead the way.” 

Steve got up in a hurry and Bucky nearly laughed. Despite his talk Steve was obviously nervous about it.   
Bucky followed Steve to the small room that he had previously thought might be a closet or something. The walls were covered in paintings and sketches and on the aisle there was the painting Steve made of him. 

Bucky could only stare at it. It looked violent and calming at the same time. It was probably the myriad shades of red that Steve had used for the painting. In the painting Bucky's face was turned away from the viewer, but he recognized himself alright. The arm...it looked like a part of him. And Steve managed to capture every one of his bigger scars.   
Bucky only realized that he had been staring at it silently for some time when Steve began to fidget somewhere a few feet behind him. 

“I like it,” Bucky said and knew that those words weren't accurate at all. He loved it, it was stunning. 

“Yeah?” 

“Yes,” Bucky replied. “I like it a lot.” 

“Yeah?” Steve repeated, stepping closer. Bucky could feel Steve's body heat and then Steve put his arms around him and Bucky leaned into him. 

“Yeah,” Bucky said. “You realize that my words are absolutely inadequate to express how gorgeous this is, right?” 

“I can give it to Peggy for the exhibition then?” 

“Yes,” Bucky replied, because it would be a crime to tell Steve no now. 

Steve's arms tightened around his middle and Bucky smiled. 

“Are you guys making out or is it safe to come in?” Sam asked from the living room. 

“You can come in,” Steve said. 

“Okay.” 

Bucky could hear Sam's footsteps and then the sharp intake of breath once he saw the painting. 

“It's good, isn't it?” Bucky asked. 

“Yeah,” Sam said in a breathy voice. 

“And my ass looks gorgeous,” Bucky continued. 

“Bucky!” Steve said a bit scandalized. 

“He has a point,” Sam admitted. “And I'm not even into butts that much.” 

“Thank you, Sam,” Bucky said laughing. 

“You are welcome man.” 

They stared at the painting for a bit longer before they made their way back to the living room. While Steve called English to tell her the good news Sam and Bucky started to debate what to order for dinner.   
Dinner and a movie with Steve and Sam sounded like a really good time to Bucky now. 

~+~  
Bucky was nervous again about the exhibition on the day of the damn thing. 

“Let me,” Natasha said and helped Bucky with the goddamned tie. He wanted to look nice because the gallery was a swanky thing and people with money would be there. And Steve had commented how he liked when Bucky wore a suit.   
Bucky huffed but let her do her thing. She ran a hand through his hair and then looked him over once again. “You look good.”

“You look gorgeous,” Bucky replied. 

She smiled. Her red lipstick made her mouth really inviting. “I know. People won't know what hit them once we enter.”

“Yeah,” Bucky said. 

“Bucky, it will be fine. No one is going to stare at you.”

“Of course they will,” Clint said as he entered the bedroom. “He's a handsome guy. He's gonna be there with us. Nat, really, don't tell lies.” 

Natasha laughed and Bucky had to laugh too. It was true. Bucky knew he was a handsome guy. All his random hook-ups were a testimony to that fact. 

“Let's go then, the car is waiting.” 

“The car?” Bucky asked. 

“There will be free booze, you think any of us will be sober enough to drive back?” Clint answered. 

Bucky shook his head. “No.” 

“No,” Clint said. “So I got a car.” 

“Good thinking, Clint,” Natasha said, grabbing her clutch and Bucky's wrist with her free hand. “Let's go.”

Bucky let her drag him outside. 

~+~  
When Bucky finally found Steve it was some 40 minutes after he, Natasha and Clint had their grand entrance. Steve looked very handsome too in a dark suit with a fucking vest. Bucky had already ideas about that vest and how fun it would be to strip Steve out of it. 

“So how much do you want for it?” Bucky asked, putting his chin on Steve's shoulder. Steve didn't turn away from the blue painting he was looking at. 

“You know this one isn't actually mine. There is a small name tag and all,” Steve said. 

“You are such a little shit, Rogers,” Bucky replied.

“Last names? I'm hurt,” Steve said. 

Bucky could hear the smile in his voice and his own lips curled up out of reflex. Steve being happy made Bucky happy.   
“You need to be nicer to me,” Bucky whispered. 

“I plan on being very nice to you once we're somewhere with less of an audience,” Steve whispered back. “Also, I'm not selling it,” Steve added in a serious voice. 

“Isn't the whole point of this for you to get your name out there and make money with your art?” Bucky asked. 

“It would be a nice side effect – the money, but I'm in it for Peggy, really. Besides, I would never give this to a stranger.” 

“Did people ask about it?” Bucky wanted to know. 

“I don't know. Peggy runs the show and I haven't had the time to speak to her expect to say hello.” 

Bucky nodded and then grabbed two glasses from a tray and handed one to Steve.   
“We should find her then,” Bucky said. “If you can tear yourself away from this mess of blues.”

“I kinda like it,” Steve said, turning to face him. 

“I know.” 

“Did you look around already a bit?”

“A bit,” Bucky admitted, “But I have to say I already found my favorite.”

“Yeah? Which one?” 

“Standing right in front of it,” Bucky answered. 

“I thought you didn't like this blue mess- oh,” Steve said as he finally got the meaning and then he blushed a beautiful pale pink that Bucky wanted to lick from his skin. Steve gulped down his drink and took a breath. 

Bucky grinned. “Let's get out of here?”

“I-,” Steve stopped, took another breath. “Yeah.”

Bucky grabbed his hand and pulled him to the exit.

“Clint got a car,” Bucky explained as he made his way to the sleek black car. 

“Bucky-”

“I'll text him I had to steal it because I didn't want to cause a scene fucking you against the nearest wall.”

“Bucky!” Steve said, but there was this delicious hitch in his voice that told Bucky Steve was so on board with that idea. 

“Clint will understand, trust me.” 

“I do,” Steve said.

Bucky had to kiss him for that.   
The ride to his apartment was an exercise in patience. All Bucky wanted to do was grab Steve and lick into his mouth, make him moan and whine. He kept his hands to himself until they made it through Bucky's door.   
Then all bets were off. 

He dragged Steve into the bedroom and proceeded to take off one piece of clothing after another. “I like the vest,” Bucky said as he pushed it from Steve's shoulders. 

“I thought you might,” Steve replied, but the last word got lost in a moan as Bucky cupped Steve's cock through his pants. 

“For some reason it makes me want to wreck you completely,” Bucky whispered into his ear. He felt Steve shiver and bit his ear gently while he rubbed Steve through his pants. 

“Get naked, Buck. Get me naked,” Steve said harshly. 

Bucky smiled against Steve's skin. “What do you think I'm doing?”

“Teasing,” Steve replied, there was a bit of a pout in his voice. Bucky squeezed Steve's dick harder and Steve whined, pushed at Bucky. “Naked, now.” 

“Fine,” Bucky said, letting go and letting Steve strip out of his clothes. 

“No need to bother with yours,” Steve said once he was done, he grabbed for Bucky's fly and undid it, pushed his hand inside Bucky's boxers and pulled his cock out. “This will do for now.”

Bucky's laugh was shocked and delighted even to his own ears. “That's all I'm to you, aren't I?” he asked, laughing. 

“No, I love you for your personality too, Buck,” Steve said. 

Bucky's cock got impossibly harder at the L-word. He surged forward and kissed Steve hard, Steve moaned and let go of Bucky's cock, which was a good thing, because Bucky needed the lube and he needed to be in Steve's ass like five minutes ago.   
He bent Steve over the dresser and grabbed the lube. Steve was looking at him over his shoulder. His pupils were blown, Bucky decided to not waste any more time and pushed two of his fingers inside Steve. He prepared Steve as fast as he could and then he was inside Steve and Steve was pushing against him. It didn't take long to find a rhythm. It was like that first time and not, better and not, because sex with Steve was always fantastic. The noises Steve was making were driving Bucky wild. He reached over to stroke Steve's cock while he thrust in hard. It didn't take long for them to lose it. 

“So,” Bucky said after round three, which had been a lot less frantic. “You said the L-word.”

“Love,” Steve said in his teacher voice. Bucky rolled his eyes at him. “Love, yeah I did. It's alright if you don't feel it yet.” 

Bucky pressed his forehead against Steve's. “Stupid you. Of course I do.” 

“Yeah?” 

“Yeah,” Bucky said and kissed Steve again.


End file.
